Tapping your foot when you play

So i have a question for you all! Do you have to tap your foot when you play bass? When i play bass i love to spin my head in a small circle or move my head/shoulders, just ride the music with my mind and keep the groove in my fingers.

The reason i ask this is because my bass teach is making me tap my foot when i play... now im ok with trying new things and in the end if i can master the co-ordination it will probably benefit in the long run. But the thing is, i always stuff up when i tap my foot... i can't get the co-ordination happening or if i do instead of enjoying the music i get fixated on the timing. where as if i play and bop my head i can play in time but i just dont think about timing... i just enjoy the music.

What do you guys do and prefer? I prefer using my head, it leaves the rest of my body to do whatever it likes... i also find i can control articulation better if i move my head and makes my feel of music a bit more sufisticated. (if that makes sense).

No reason you shouldn't be able to tap a straight beat while playing. Some times my foot will get tripped up if I'm playing something a little odd, but tapping my foot is essential to keep a real solid and consistent pulse for me.

I mean I guess theres no real difference with swaying or head bobbing though

TalkBassFriendly Advertisement

So i have a question for you all! Do you have to tap your foot when you play bass? When i play bass i love to spin my head in a small circle or move my head/shoulders, just ride the music with my mind and keep the groove in my fingers.

The reason i ask this is because my bass teach is making me tap my foot when i play... now im ok with trying new things and in the end if i can master the co-ordination it will probably benefit in the long run. But the thing is, i always stuff up when i tap my foot... i can't get the co-ordination happening or if i do instead of enjoying the music i get fixated on the timing. where as if i play and bop my head i can play in time but i just dont think about timing... i just enjoy the music.

What do you guys do and prefer? I prefer using my head, it leaves the rest of my body to do whatever it likes... i also find i can control articulation better if i move my head and makes my feel of music a bit more sufisticated. (if that makes sense).

He's noticed some rhythm / time-keeping issues with your playing and wants to resolve it.

You oughta ask him if either of these is the issue.

To answer the OP as it was asked.....sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Depends on what we are playing and what my role in the song is. Sometimes I'm moving around too much to do any foot-tapping. I concentrate on moving within the structure of the rhythm (some often refer to this as "dancing" ). Sometimes I'm at the mic or in a stationary position. If I am not moving, I'm tapping.

Depends on the song. If it is one that is complicated and has a lot of stops and starts, I will sometimes tap my foot, otherwise, I don't. I've been told by many people that I have a great sense of timing so it really has never been an issue for me.

If you want to complement your current body movements and really feel the groove.....tap your foot on beats 2 and 4. It will slow down any tendency to rush and locks you into the drummers snare. You will relax and your lines will flow better. When you listen to songs without your bass practice it. You will see what I mean.

Tapping that foot was the first thing I was taught by my teacher. It was difficult at first, but after a couple of hours it became second nature. Now I can't play without tapping my foot, or moving to the rhythm. If found that it helps with staying in the pocket.
My drummer (!!!) only moves his hands and feet - but his body does not move to the pace of the music. He's is one of those guys who constantly have to fight to keep their time. So there's even more for me to do in terms of keeping everything together.

Being able to play a relatively complex part while tapping your foot perfectly on beat is a good basic timekeeping skill. Many players don't really count time and get by quite well playing by feel but you can greatly improve your understanding of where notes fall rhythmically by mastering foot tapping. Even if you choose not to do it on stage just having the capability has a subliminal effect that will help you play more precisely.